After I was appointed director of governmental affairs over a year ago, I brainstormed ways that I could keep officers and our lifetime members engaged with the legislative process and on the bills that I am tracking while I am in Carson City. During my many hours of brainstorming, I found bill-tracking software called FastDemocracy that allows me to link the bills I am tracking to the LVPPA website in an easy-to-follow format. It even allows you to receive updates on bills that you subscribe to track. One of the best features is the ability to contact your district legislators regarding the bills we are tracking. This option does all of the searching for you, where all you would be required to do is add a message, or use a message that I write for you, in support or opposition of a bill. When it comes to laws, it is more important for legislators to hear from you than to hear from me. While I am in the legislative building every day throughout the session, I will be reaching out to you via call-to-actions once certain bills progress through committee hearings.

I am currently in the process of finding a sponsor to carry a bill involving state-level qualified immunity that David Roger has sent videos out to the membership about. Other than the DROP program bill, AB 688, currently being carried by Assemblymember Toby Yurek, qualified immunity is our most important issue.

Some have asked what my duties as a law enforcement lobbyist entail, and the most important duty I have is to speak with members of the Senate and Assembly on a daily basis and use my 16 years of law enforcement experience to explain why bills are good or bad for our profession as a whole. To my knowledge, I have the most law enforcement experience of any full-time law enforcement lobbyist. I am also your voice when I speak to legislators on what priorities are most important to law enforcement. When I say I am your voice, I truly mean it! Ask any member, active or retired, and they will tell you that I always answer my phone and am responsive by email. I tell legislators that I have access to real-time data within LVMPD because I represent cops who are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You are all sources of information that I may call on at a moment’s notice to help me convey important messages and data to our elected officials. Lastly, I consider it a great honor to lobby on your behalf. Not many things are worth leaving my family behind for four months, but the task of being a voice for law enforcement is without a doubt worth it. I know how hard you all work, and I plan to work that hard for you all. The graphics on this page show you how to access the legislative bill tracker at LVPPA.com. As always, if you need anything, I am available at jabel@LVPPA.com and (702) 468-0766.